Teacher pay bill amended

The House Education Committee tacked on another percentage point to Gov. Joe Manchin's teacher pay raise proposal, kicking it up a notch to 3.5 percent today.

The committee also made permanent the bonus-like payment the governor is offering school service personnel, but removed the provision promising all full-time teachers a minimum salary of $30,000.

The bill advances to House Finance.

The major teacher groups remain unimpressed, however, and say some of their members are mulling over striking if the final bill fails to satisfy.

Manchin earlier provided lawmakers with budget projections suggesting that the raises sought by these groups would create huge deficits, and soon, when compared to his proposal.